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Overview

Geffen/Decca/Chronicles' 2005 release Gold is a retitled reissue of the 1993 double-disc set The Buddy Holly Collection, bearing different artwork but the same liner notes. Given the reluctance of MCA to release a CD version of the complete Buddy Holly recordings (due to either legal issues or a skepticism of its commercial worth), this set -- whether in its Gold incarnation or as The Buddy Holly Collection -- stands as the most comprehensive and greatest CD-era retrospective of the legendary rock & roller. Though it contains all the big hits, this is not the place to turn if you're only looking for "That'll Be the Day," "Not Fade Away," "Everyday," "Oh Boy!," "Peggy Sue," "Maybe Baby," "Rave On," "Well All Right," and "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" -- they're all here, but they don't start unrolling until track 15 on the first disc. No, this collection is for listeners who know the hits but need more; namely, they need proof that Holly was one of the greatest, most inventive artists in the first wave of rock & roll, which this collection certainly illustrates, through its selection of lesser-known sides that showcase both his wild-man rockabilly ways and his sensitive songwriting. If the set takes a little while to get going -- it kicks off with the dynamite "Down the Line," but then the collection, and Holly, take a little while to find a groove -- there are also no bum tracks here, and taken as a whole, Buddy's gifts as a songwriter and a rocker are staggering. Until the complete box is finally issued on CD, this will have to stand as the most comprehensive Holly collection on CD, and as such, it's absolutely necessary for anybody who loves American music of the 20th century.

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Born and raised in Lubbock, Texas, Buddy Holly not only wears the crown as a rock and roll pioneer, but his influence remains immeasurable. His tragic and untimely death, which was caused by a plane crash that also claimed the lives of The Big Bopper and Richie Valens, occurred fifty years ago, yet his style and approach has continued to resonate strongly throughout dozens of recordings over the decades. A two record set, "Buddy Holly Gold," features a nice mix of hit singles and lesser known tracks. Buddy's earliest cuts like "Down The Line," "Midnight Shift," "Blue Days" and the chirpy instrumental grooves of "Holly Hop" capture the fledging star performing a varied stew of musical genres, ranging from pop to rhythm and blues to country and western, with substance and taste. By 1957, rock and roll was dominating the airwaves, and that was when Buddy and his group, The Crickets, scored their first nationwide chart topper with "That'll Be The Day," a song so catchy that it there was no way it could be ignored. Fresh and invigorating, the tune introduced the world to Buddy's boyish, hiccupping vocals, accompanied by his ringing guitar riffs, which as noted, inspired generations of kids to emulate such a sound. Had there been no Buddy Holly, there would be no Beatles, Rolling Stones, Byrds, Todd Rundgren, Raspberries, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Ramones and the list goes on and on. And of course, there's The Hollies, who went as far as nicking their name from their idol. A self-contained band, The Crickets had chops to spare, which proved to be a perfect fit for Buddy's finely crafted songs. Sparkling arrangements, joined by streams of snappy hooks and tight and enthused playing characterize the music, that half a century later, still smacks of innovation and adventure. From the mid-tempo balladry of "Words of Love" to the shuffling beat of "Not Fade Away" to the hard rocking rushes of "Oh Boy!," "Rave On" and "Think It Over," here's a record flooded with energy and excitement. Now add ""I'm Gonna Love You Too," "Fool's Paradise," It's So Easy," "Peggy Sue," "Tell Me How," "Heartbeat" and "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" to the show, and you've got a certified masterpiece right at your fingertips. As evidenced by this well conceived collection, Buddy Holly exercised his creativity and originality to full effects, leaving behind him some of the greatest pop rock nuggets ever put to tape.

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